Service Opportunities

FYI:For Your Information

Pollution and Athletics

What right does an athlete have to blame lost games on air pollution? Every right, all else being equal, according to a story cited by Dr. James Christensen, professor of chemical engineering. It seems that a group of young track athletes from a high school in Los Angeles won most of their home meets but always lost when they were bussed to a distant school for track events. Reason: scientists determined that by being bussed along the busy freeways in Los Angeles, they breathed in larger than normal amounts of carbon monoxide. This carbon monoxide reacted with the iron in the hemoglobin in their blood to form carboxyhemoglobin. Every hemoglobin molecule that reacted with the carbon monoxide meant one less hemoglobin molecule available to carry oxygen in the body. Consequently, the athletes were hampered by the reduced amount of oxygen supplied to the body and performed below their capabilities!

Dr. Christensen also points out an interesting theory about the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. It is based on the idea that leaders and nobles were victims of slow lead poisoning. It was the custom of the time for the more well-to-do to have their wine sweetened by heating it and storing it in lead pots. Lead was also used for cooking ware and drinking cups. Since the privileged class enjoyed these niceties, they were the ones who consumed enough lead to cause increased sterility in both men and women, a larger than normal proportion of children born with physical and mental defects, and physical illness among the leaders themselves. Thus the leading class was slowly reduced in number and capabilities. Analysis of corpses from that time show an abnormally high lead content! And we worry about cholesterol.

[Women Serving Missions]

More and more young women today are interested in serving full-time missions for the Church. This was especially shown recently when a program entitled “Would You Like to Know More? … about Sister Missionaries” was attended by more than 300 young women. Some have already received mission calls, others are expecting them this summer, and many are planning for the future. Sister S. Dilworth Young, who fulfilled a mission to Canada, was the guest speaker. The women participating on the program and committees were all returned sister missionaries. Lorraine Keister, Jolene Rounds, Marnae Brown, Janet Bateman, and Nola Gneiting worked as committee heads.

Potential Unlimited

Metropolitan Los Angeles M Men and Gleaners left asphalt and pollution far behind for the beauties of Idyllwild camp center and a weekend leadership conference. Activities were planned to appeal to the whole person. Creative fun, exploring, and lively discussion groups were topped off by words of inspiration from local priesthood leaders. Bimmer Jones, Lamanite member, led the brave ones escaping city life on a long hike, There were songfest sessions, a testimony meeting, and a wonderful time of girls-getting-to-know-boys (which is, after all, part of any such session).

The workshop sessions were conducted simultaneously during the morning hours, and everyone rotated to be a part of each in turn. Creativity: Session leader Kay Stevenson, a commercial artist, pointed out the unlimited potential to create that we all have. Spirituality: Richard O. Clark, institute director, led this workshop and showed a notebook he’s kept containing his goals over the years and the times he’s recognized the influence of the Holy Ghost. Leadership: Douglas L. Callister, attorney and stake president, told a seemingly endless number of faith-promoting stories. He reminded delegates to “avoid the great tragedy of imitation in becoming a great leader. Find and develop your talents,” said President Callister.

Data submitted by Anne Marie Lowell, Hollywood, California

[Mormons are Newsmakers]

Mormons are newsmakers, contributors, leaders, and fun to be around. How much fun? People in Bellingham, Washington, can judge by three beautiful Laurels. These three are the only Laurels in their ward, and they all go to different high schools, where each is leaving her mark as a queen, student leader, arts participant, and pep clubber. They are Cynthia Miller, Connie Slesk, and Cheryl Crandall (See photos).

For Jill Olsen of Roseburg, Oregon, Europe in the summer is standard procedure. This summer she’s representing her area in the United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth. Part of the tour includes a week at the U.N. building in New York. Her art work has won state fair awards, and she’s top prize holder in the Voice of Democracy oratory contest, too.

Washington, Utah, MIA girls had an unforgettable time when they presented handmade gifts to children at the Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. Each girl had made a gift; and five quilts, stuffed toys, and articles of clothing were presented. During the trip to Salt Lake they were guests of the Granger 13th Ward and were escorted on tours through the New Era offices, Temple Square, and other historic sites. (See photo).

Mark Mansfield of Orem, Utah, was one of twelve young men and women Explorers to receive the National Exploration Award at the black-tie annual dinner of the Explorers Club in the Waldorf Astoria’s grand ballroom in New York. Mike’s interest in geology earned him the award, which includes a scholarship along with the citation. He’s a member of the Church, and though only a junior in high school, he’s signed in for classes in cartography at BYU.

Sharol Talbot of Washington Terrace, Utah, won “Girl of the Year” for the State of Utah. Sharol is Sunday School chorister and talented in musical circles. She’s a student leader and a volunteer worker in the hospital.

Students at Safford, Arizona, seminary are still talking about the day Miss Teenage America, Rewa Walsh, drove up to the seminary building in her official car and paid a visit to the classes. A new convert to the Church, Rewa bore her testimony and expressed thanks for the copy of the Book of Mormon containing class signatures.

Garth Monson at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, writes that the LDS Singers, made up of institute of religion students, is winning friends for the Church by making musical appearances at public functions as well as Church gatherings. Ardith Peterson is director. The group is composed of people with a variety of talents, and novelty skits are presented along with chorus numbers under appropriate circumstances. (See photos.)

Student Nurse of the Year at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho, is Debbie Barton. She was chosen by the Medicus Club, and the award was based on scholarship, service, and friendliness.

Randy Fleming of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, skated his way to fame by chalking up 592 laps in the Kinsmen’s Skate-A-Thon. Randy is a cousin to the former Miss Teenage America Janene Forsyth of Arlington, Virginia.

When Student Association president Mike Peterson of Santa Maria, California, learned that the local library had only one book published by the Latter-day Saint Church and that it was a Book of Mormon, he knew something had to be done about it. Mike and Garry Moore consulted with William O. Bradford, stake president, and thirty volumes of books about the Church and a subscription to the New Era were presented to the library.

The image of the Church in Brisbane, Australia, grows rosier each year, according to members there, largely because of the crowd pleasers their dramatic productions prove to be. Townspeople joined their Mormon friends in applauding this year’s Brigadoon, which featured a large cast and a twelve-piece orchestra, with over a thousand people seeing it during a six-night run. (See photos.) “The Mormon Players,” as they call themselves in the Brisbane Stake, insist on the highest professionalism in lighting, choreography, scenery, costumes, directing, and performance. Youth and older members alike join talents in ringing up this important success. From the classy black and white programs to the photographer shooting the action, Brigadoon of ’72 Brisbane, Australia, never looked so good.

Absentee Courtship

“Dear Johns” … waiting … diamonds … the crisis of reunion. W. Rolfe Kerr studied them all in writing his master’s thesis at Utah State University on absentee courtships. He extensively interviewed ten couples whose courtship endured the separation of a mission and resulted in marriage and ten couples whose courtship ended during or after a mission.

The couples selected for the study were going together steadily at the time of the mission call and had made some indication that they would try to maintain their relationship during the separation.

Length of courtship of the couples interviewed ranged from six months to five years. Some missionaries left their girl friends with diamonds; others asked their girls to date while they were gone.

Dr. Kerr found that the outcome of the courtship may be influenced by the length and nature of the pre-mission courtship, agreements made at the time of separation, type and frequency of correspondence, attitudes toward the mission, parental influence, new love partners, and crises resulting from personality changes that cannot be reconciled during the absence or reunion.

No correlations could be drawn between the length of courtship prior to the mission and the outcome of the courtship. One couple who dated for only six months before the mission was married shortly after the reunion but several four-year courtships were ended. The study indicated that engaged couples experienced more difficulty during and after the mission than they expected.

Nineteen of the twenty girls who were interviewed dated while their boyfriends were on missions. A strict no-date policy seemed to cause resentment and emotional stress, while the courtship was more likely to last if the missionary gave the girl freedom to choose her activities while he was gone.

Most of the couples felt that the frequency of letters was important. The majority of fellows thought one letter a week was ideal and agreed that daily correspondence would interfere with missionary work and become a burden. One returned missionary commented, “It is more important to have regular letters than frequent ones.” All of the men interviewed disliked the strictly love-letter approach and felt the letters should contain encouragement, news of home and school activities, with some comments of reassurance and love in each letter.

Seven of the ten couples who successfully endured the separation met what Dr. Kerr calls “reunion crises.” These were most frequently caused by difficulties in adjusting to the personality changes of both partners and by the fellows’ desiring to date other girls before settling down.

Batter Up! with a Machine

A baseball pitching machine that won a national engineering design prize was designed by Neal Lundwall who was awarded $2,000 by the James F. Lincoln Arc Welding Foundation of Ohio. Neal is a graduate student at Brigham Young University where his machine was on display recently.

Holland Comes to Ricks

New studentbody president at Ricks College, Rexburg, Idaho, is Arie Noot, Jr., of Holland. Arie, a former high councilman in Holland Stake, was named president for the 1972–73 year. His running mate was Bill Cobabe of Manhattan Beach, California. Both Arle and Bill are returned missionaries, Arie having served in the England North Mission, and Bill in the New England States Mission.

Registration provides ways to meet new friends at California workshop.